Why restore an Elan

[gordont]

Robert - thinking about the RHD car with scoop on the LHS, which side is your battery box on?

[robertverhey]

Both on LHS......

[gordont]

sounds odd, my battery box intrudes into the under floor area as in this picture of Franks, I would have thought the scoop would not be able to go around it.

[Elan45]

Frank,

Roberts photo is not far off, but all you can see is the strip of SS sheet that wraps around the structural metal. Since my car is stripped for paint, the SS is off and you can see what is needed to do. I'll get a photo tonight. The photo of the rusty metal at the front is correct, just needs straightening and reattachment at the front into fiberglass, BUT, this is a later bonnet for a S3 which has a lift spring which attaches to the steering rack. S1 and 2 bonnets had a smaller spring on each side near the sliding hinge thingies. I don't have any of S2, since all my complete cars are S3.

I'm sure Mr Anderson could help, but he seems to be snowed in of late.

Roger

[types26/36]

I'm sure Mr Anderson could help, but he seems to be snowed in of late.Roger

Gary did post some S2 bonnet latch pics a while ago...see this thread:
elan-f14/bonnet-catches-t15156.html

[robertverhey]

Back to battery trays, here's a pic of my arrangement. A definite battery tray in the boot and no sign of any accomodation behind drivers seat on o/s right side. Behind passenger seat, floor is a mirror of driver's side. Is this not the norm for an S3? It means both diff scoop and battery are on n/s left side

Robert

[Old English White]

Hi,
My 66' S3 pre-aiflow is the same.
Christian.

[Famous Frank]

In regards to Diff Scoops and Battery Trays, S1 and S2 Elan Roadsters have the Battery Tray behind the right side seat. As far as I know that is the same on RHD and LHD cars. The Diff Scoop would always be on the left side and would not interfere with the Battery Tray as that is on the right side behind the right seat. Also, it appears the Diff Scoop was only installed on SE's. I do not know of any Diff Scoop designed to be mounted on the right side of the car.

Elan Coupes, S3 Elans, and S4 Elans have the Battery Tray in the trunk on the left hand side.

Also, thank you for the pics regarding the Bonnet latches. It appears that part of the Bonnet with the metal wrapped around the fiberglass is missing from my car. If you consider what kind of shape the rest of the bodywork was in, that would make perfect sense. And here I thought the Bonnet didn't need much in the way repairs, ...................what was I thinking!

Frank

[types26/36]

S1 and S2 Elan Roadsters have the Battery Tray behind the right side seat. As far as I know that is the same on RHD and LHD cars. The Diff Scoop would always be on the left side and would not interfere with the Battery Tray as that is on the right side behind the right seat. Frank

Frank, my early S2 (RHD with battery behind left seat) has provision for the battery to be fitted on either side and from memory it also has the mounting bobbins.
I was under the impression the battery would be fitted on the opposite side to the driver in either RHD or LHD cars.
Obviously my car is not an SE so the diff scoop would not be an issue.

[summerinmaine]

S2 Elan Roadsters have the Battery Tray behind the right side seat. As far as I know that is the same on RHD and LHD cars.

Both my 65 and 66 S2 (both RHD) had/have the tray on the off-side. Never seen any evidence of an accommodation on the driver's side.

[paddy]

Both my 65 and 66 S2 (both RHD) had/have the tray on the off-side. Never seen any evidence of an accommodation on the driver's side.

That's a very confusing sentence

They are RHD, the driver's side is the RHS, and when you say the off-side you mean the LHS ?

Paddy

[summerinmaine]

I've been following the discussion on the differential air scoop with some interest. My plain vanilla S2 (as if any S2 deserves that appellation) has no evidence of one.

But I'm curious to know one thing: do they actually work? Has there ever been any wind tunnel testing to determine whether, at the location of the intake on the undercarriage, there is positive or negative pressure? As an old time fan of Jim Hall's Chaparral, I recognize that many designers of the era were trying to induce a vacuum under the car.

[robertverhey]

Near side and off side refer to the kerb, not the driver, right? So driver is always on the off-side, and passenger on near-side whether LHD or RHD. That's what helps me get my head around it. Unless of course a car's been imported and not converted, when the opposite applies! Think I'd better lie down for a while, before I grapple with A, B and C pillars......does an Elan have an A and B, or an A and C? What would ACBC have thought?

[jpt]

My S2 (26-4203) is LHD and has battery boxes on both sides.

Jon

[Famous Frank]

Robert, I'm still laughing !!!! Near side, kerb side, or isn't it curb side. I don't know either!!!

Maybe the battery tray area is on both sides, unless it's an SE. Is the single tray bottom another SE only item? As far as I know the Diff Scoop is only on the SE's. Does that mean non-SE S1 and S2's have the battery tray on both sides? That would be right side and the left side?


Frank